This week, I had a very unusual encounter with a stranger.
I had popped into our local hypermarket to buy something for Kay's birthday, which is not until July, but we had visited this store together recently and she had shown an interest in something that gave me an idea for a present. It is very difficult nowadays to gauge presents for her. Living apart and rarely seeing her means I no longer know what her taste in clothes or homeware is, so to be given a strong clue was an advantage I couldn't miss.
I had taken a trolley so I could also buy some food as well, but had one of those trolleys where the wheels have a mind of their own and steering it was difficult. I had grabbed the present for Kay and a few food items and had just rounded the corner from one aisle and was about to turn into the next aisle, when a woman coming in the opposite direction did the same. We literally came face to face. She didn't have a trolley, just a carry basket, and of course my trolley was difficult to manoeuvre. So I half expected her to do a circle round me to get past. Instead, she stood her ground and glared at me. I was so flummoxed by her attitude that I was speechless. "I want to go there" she said angrily, pointing to behind me. "But I want to go there" I said, pointing to behind her. Still she glared at me and I could see that we were going to be there all day unless someone gave way. Which of course was me. I had to back up a bit to get the trolley to move forward and round her, whereupon she effortlessly went on her way with her carry basket, still glaring at me. I wouldn't care, but she was at least two decades younger than me and in no way disabled. There's no accounting for people sometimes.
Meanwhile I returned to my usual gym classes this week for the first time in nine weeks. I had stopped going since the end of November because of my stomach problem flare-up. I half expected the energetic classes to kill me, but can vouch that not only did I survive, but I kept up with all that was asked of me. And no aches and pains the following day.
7 comments:
There is nothing worse than a trolley that goes its own way, and then that woman.......!! I think I would have stood my ground until she gave in!
I tried to outstare her, but she won!
The word 'hypermarket' is new to me - I suppose that is what I should be calling the store I usually refer to as the 'supermarket' from where I nowadays (since years back) do most of my shopping online with home delivery. I haven't been there in person in four months now. And can't actually recall when I last had to manouvre a big trolley...
Like Monica, I am not familiar with "hypermarket" and can only imagine that it is more than a supermarket... or something else?
That woman was VERY rude! It's usually the more mobile who should make room for the less mobile in an encounter, not the other way round. At my local ALDI (and in other supermarkets), I often observe people seemingly lost in time and space (and probably their thoughts), abandoning their trolley in the middle of an aisle while they are looking at shelves somewhere else, or positionining themselves and their trolley in a way nobody can get around them. I never hesitate to politely make myself seen and heard, and so far it has always worked. An encounter like the one you described I have not yet experienced.
Since the start of covid, i too have done a lot of my weekly food shopping online with home delivery, so this was a rare occasion for me to go in person.
I agree there can be some annoying people in supermarkets, who seem to be in a world of their own. The hypermarket I refer to is just an enormous supermarket and part of a national chain. The difference is they sell clothes, homeware and even large items like televisions, as well as food. They have something like 25 checkouts.
The hypermarket should offer free driving lessons to customers who have trouble with trollies. "L" plates should be mandatory until driving tests are passed. As for the woman with the basket, a custard pie in the mush was richly deserved.
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